Review: Detroit legend Eddie 'Flashin' Fowlkes has had a truly massive month with a couple of releases on his esteemed Detroit Wax imprint (which he runs with Niko Marks) and this week he kickstarts his City Boy imprint back into action. This is its first release in 11 years, presenting part one of the Knucklehead Series featuring a fine selection of moods and grooves. First up is the deep down and dirty tech-funk of '1-2-3', followed by the dusty twilight mood music of 'Hold Me Down' and over on the flip is the double 12's most energetic cut in the form of 'Test Unknown' - a sincere expression in proper Motor city style 'hi-tech soul'.
Review: Tech house is an unfairly maligned genre. While criticisms of the blandness of the sound might hold weight for much of the stuff released today, the same simply can't be said for the work of Terry Francis, who helped pioneer its sound. All & All is a new series, this one documenting Francis' contributions to the underground, with many of the tracks appearing on it made during the period in which he was a resident DJ at London's Fabric. As you can hear, 'tech house' at the origin point, as propagated by Francis, was much dreamier - closer to its cousin, deep house. And on cuts like 'How Can Something', you can really hear where the received 'dreaminess' of house and the uptempo, industrial pulse of techno, converged.
Review: The second Volume of Terry Francis' All & All series hears much of the work of the esteemed tech house pioneer and Fabric resident DJ compiled into a retrospective compilation. One can hear the convergent nature of Francis' tech house - it's in the name, 'tech house', i.e. techno and house - truly come together on this LP. The likes of 'Wish On', 'Helicopter' and 'Funky Future' are honest movers, made with deft precision and accuracy, - and bringing together many different popular styles at the time, from speed garage to tribal to funky house, with tech house resulting as a kind of distillation of them all.
Review: Fred P's latest release 'Singular Point of Focus' EP feels like a late-night journey into the heart of the dancefloor, a space where euphoria meets introspection. From the opening track, it's clear that Fred is steering us toward something deeper than a simple collection of club-ready cuts. His use of augmented vocals adds an otherworldly quality, with tones that feel familiar but are impossible to place. The EP is a masterclass in controlled tension, with each track building in intensity without ever losing its groove. Fred's voice, subtly manipulated, dances through the layers of deep house rhythms, creating a sound that's both timeless and distinctly now. There's a sense that this is music for those who know, for selectors and dancers alike who understand the unspoken rules of the floor. The richness of the sound design - thick basslines, textured pads, and sharp percussion - draws you in, while the overall vibe remains firmly forward-thinking. This isn't just an exercise in nostalgia; Fred P has crafted a record that speaks to the future of house music while honouring its roots. Each track offers something different, from the floor-shaking opener to the more introspective closing cut, making it a perfect addition to any discerning DJ's crate.
Review: Inspired by "cosmic vibes and alien sounds", Cut Line Records is a freshly minted imprint founded by New York-based producers Majak and Diego Knows. Wisely, they've decided to set their stall out via a multi-artist EP that offers more than a few hints about what we can expect to hear in the months and years ahead. Naturally, they contribute, rounding off the EP via the collaborative 'Electrik Funk', a smooth, spacey and sub-heavy slab of tech-house funk marked out by cut-up vocal snippets, intergalactic-sounding motifs and rubbery beats. There's plenty to set the pulse racing across the rest of the EP though, from the acid-flecked tech-house funkiness of Pedro Goya's 'Celeste', to the star-fall haziness of Digital Pimps electro roller 'Warning Bells', via the electro-goes-breakbeat shuffle of 'Alien Vision' by Frankula and St Xose.
Review: Belgian label Music Man Records has assembled Boccaccio Life 1987-1993, a 40-track compilation honouring the legendary Destelbergen club that helped shape Europe's electronic underground. Far more than just the birthplace of New Beat, Boccaccio championed raw, futuristic house and techno long before the genres went mainstream. Curated by resident DJ Olivier Pieters and regular Stefaan Vandenberghe, the collection features classy cuts that are also being served up on a series of VA EPs. This one hits hard with jams from QX-1, Fred Brown, Mr. Fingers and Laurent X all going dark, deep and moody.
Luc Ringeisen & Funk E - "Treinta Y Siempre" (7:33)
Polyfan Polyphenix - "Polymorph 2" (7:02)
Review: The cultured Movida label rolls out more of its tasteful tech and minimal jams with the Water Drop EP Part 1. Somfay opens up proceedings with 'Arborvitae' (A Voice Like Water) which is a zoned out roller with chords that encourage you to gaze off to the future. The b-side starts with Luc Ringeisen & Funk E's 'Treinta Y Siempre', a tender electronic lullaby with gently broken beats and then things get much more scuffed up and dubby with Polyfan Polyphenix's 'Polymorph 2' which is a languid rhythm that makes you want to move nice and loose.
Review: After a couple of quiet years Ferro's VBX label returns with a bang, as the esteemed Dutch minimal producer links up with none other than Ricardo Villalobos for a run of 'Ferric' jams. Enlightened souls should have some idea of what to expect here, as Ferro's snappy grooves collide with Villalobos' meandering sound collages to create psychoactive termites geared towards twisting out the dancefloor good and proper. This is proper minimal, with the percussion chiselled into fine clicks and pops to leave more space for the trippy elements to weave their magic. The quality comes assured from this new pairing, hopefully paving the way for more collaborations in the future.
Silat Beksi & Soyro - "Shout In 30 Seconds" (7:22)
Last Pines - "Sway" (7:04)
Fedo - "Lena Told" (6:42)
Review: Juuz Records box up, package and release the fifth edition in their vinyl only series. Silat Beksi, Soyro, RWN and Zlatnichi are the latest artists to be spotlit, and all of them deliver a seamless minimal techno experience, teeming with tics and fidgets, the four-piece sonic equivalent of a gut microbiome. Usually, we like to home in on the oddest tunes and we'll certainly indulge the impulse here; Silat Beksi and Soyro's 'Shout In 30 Seconds' makes impressive use of gurgly, subharmonic dream-voices, swabbed across the otherwise sticklike mix, like glue holding a skeleton together. Equal technical and ambisonic itches are scratched on Fedo's closing 'Lena Told', whose transitional vocal scramblings play back like furtive rumours spread through a fragile transmission chain.
Review: UK label Rezpektiva unearths another gem from the archives, this time shining a light on Fade 2 End, the elusive duo of Nick Woolfson and Mark Shimmon. Their output may have been limitedijust two releases in 1996ibut what they left behind is a masterclass in deep, rolling, late-night techno. 'Sundance' sets the tone with its undulating rhythms and hypnotic loops, while 'The Passage' weaves together tough beats and drifting synth lines. 'Dreams' and 'Daze' lock into a mesmerising groove, all heady atmospherics and resonant grooves. On the flip, 'Another Day' and 'Another Night' explore the contrast between euphoria and tension, their hypnotic vocals pulling the listener deeper into the groove. 'Feel The Magic' rounds things off with a shimmering, dreamlike quality, balancing lush pads with crisp drum programming. Fade 2 End had a rare touchitracks that feel alive, shifting and evolving as they play out. Now, thanks to Rezpektiva, these lost classics finally get the attention they deserve.
Grasslands (feat Mitchell Yoshida & John FM) (5:41)
Visions Of You (feat Mitchell Yoshida & John FM) (5:56)
Totall Recall (feat Mitchell Yoshida, John FM & Carla Azar) (2:29)
Car Dates (feat Tyesha Blount & Carla Azar) (4:22)
Slide (feat John FM, Mitchell Yoshida & Billy Lotion) (6:18)
Keeping Me (feat Mitchell Yoshida, John FM, Troialexis) (5:41)
Growing Old (feat Mitchell Yoshida, Amir Hasan) (6:02)
Morning Ride (feat Mitchell Yoshida) (5:35)
Selinho Na Calcinha (feat Alexia Bomtempo & Mauro Refosco) (11:53)
Saturn Eats His Young (feat Supercoolwicked) (3:57)
Review: If anything, the hugely prolific Motor City mainstay that is Omar S seems to be getting even more prolific as time goes on. His vast catalogue grows once more here with Fun House, which finds Alister Fawnwoda exploring a wide range of dance music styles alongside guests such as FXHE regular John F.M., plus Mitchell Yoshida, Super Cool Wired, Troi Alexis, Tyesha Blount and more, with all the production, lyrics and mixing taken care of by Omar S himself. The tracks range from seductive deep house to edgy mechanical techno, dubbed out downbeat joints and smooth electronic Detroit soul. It is yet another crucial chapter in the FXHE and Omar S story.
Review: Italian artist Fedele offers up here his first solo effort since leaving Agents of Time. This 12-track album on his own label showcases his exploration of fresh electronic music landscapes after making a great impact over the last three years with releases on Ellum Audio, Turbo Recordings, and Obscura. His acclaimed remix of Depeche Mode's 'Enjoy The Silence' received global praise and now Depth Of Being blends his signature style with experimental sounds and more vocals. It features tracks like the downtempo 'Departure' and the vibrant 'Your Eyes' as well as plenty of immersive, progressive, emotive club-ready cuts.
Review: Floating Points, also known as Sam Shepherd, returns with a new album that pushes his sound even further into exciting new territories. This album, consisting of eight tracks, offers expansive explorations of sounds and grooves, with each piece allowed to develop and evolve over up to eight minutes. Nearly a decade after his acclaimed debut Elaenia, Shepherd continues to blend his experimental inclinations with dancefloor appeal, a fusion that has become a hallmark of his style. Cascade is conceived as a follow-up to Shepherd's rave-reviewed second studio album, Crush from 2019. While Crush introduced listeners to Shepherd's more introspective side, Cascade aims to bring the traditional Floating Points experience back to the dancefloor. Bursting with Buchla rhythms and glitching melodies, it should be more in line with his dance singles. Shepherd describes the album as a continuation, which is reflected in the vibrant artwork by Akiko Nakayamaia colourful sleeve with fluid imagery that mirrors the album's dynamic soundscapes. The album's evocative title, Cascade, suggests movement, beauty and pressure, themes that resonate throughout its paces.
Review: The fifth Flaoting Points album Cascade is a culmination of creative evolution. In late 2022, Shepherd found himself in the California desert, crafting a new sonic journey via his acclaimed Promises, where he ventured into airy dreamscapes with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and a sold-out Hollywood Bowl show in 2023. With Cascade, Shepherd returns to his electronic roots, craving the pulse-racing communion of the dancefloor. This album serves as a sequel to Crush, diving deeper into ravey, experimental realms, unexplored due to lockdown cancellations. Tracks draw inspiration from Manchester's record shops and California's desert landscapes, blending Buchla rhythms and glitching melodies. Shepherd's journey, from orchestral collaborations to laptop productions, underscores his relentless pursuit of innovation.
Terry Francis & Eddie Richards - "Breakfast @ Tone's" (Terry Late Night Overdose mix)
Believe In Yourself
Bonjour Charles
Roll In Life
Love Panda - "Metro Circuit"
Flux
Review: Repeat continues to do great work in bringing holy grail tech house back in the reach of real music fans with this third instalment in their All & All series with scene stalwart Terry Francis. This no nonsense white label package hides some of the sharpest tools in the tech house shed, not least Metal Dogz' heads down, tracky workout 'This World?' and Francis' own 'Late Night Overdose' mix of the track 'Breakfast @ Tone's' he produced with Evil Eddie Richards back in the day. The quality comes assured here, from the tunes themselves to the weight of the pressing and the sonic presence - essential cuts for anyone serious about tech house.
Review: Tech house might be a much-maligned genre these days but once upon a time it was seriously hot shit. That time happened to be when Terry Francis was at the top of his game back in the mid-90s. The UK pioneering very much helped to shape the early sound of the genre as a producer but also a DJ with his legendary sets at Wiggle and Fabric. This ongoing compilation series is now up to a fourth volume of hits from the main man and the quality remains as high as ever. This part focuses on his work from the mid-90s to the early 00s, and all of it is class as they mix up tech, acid, house and more into pure dance floor fire.
Too Poor For Movies, Too Tired For Love (with Lawrence) (7:22)
Nobody Present Ever Stood So Still (7:40)
By The End They Will (6:37)
Cecile (with Eliana Glass) (7:25)
Drift (with DJ Aakmael) (6:18)
From Life Ahead (6:29)
Continuity (6:30)
Review: There are not too many house and techno labels in the United States that can boast quite the discography and international success that the Brooklyn based Scissor & Thread label can. For over a decade now, the busy label has kept the quality up to the high standards the label set when starting. A big part of that quality is having Frank & Tony on board through the label's history. Ethos is their new full-length album that, spread across a double pack of wax, with tracks mostly kept under close guard, except the opener 'Olympia'. Make no mistake though, from the rumours and whispers we've heard already, it looks like being a big hit.
Review: It's very much a case of expecting the unexpected when it comes to Omar S' FXHE label and this latest effort is no exception. In the US the gap between hip-hop and dance music culture is even wider than it is here in the UK, only not in Detroit and its unique export, namely ghetto tech. FULL BODY DU RAG whips up an idiosyncratic but thoroughly addictive combination of ghetto, house and garage, hip-hop and jazz across eight tracks here, the borders between the genres being fluid at all times. Omar himself makes an appearance on 'Juice', a speedy but classy dancefloor workout, half tech and half house, that along with the hilarious but irresistible 'Trillionaire' boasts a skippy garage swing to the beats to boot. At the other end of the BPM spectrum we get 'Pussy On The Map" (feat NLGHTND) with its r&b strains, only nicely warped and sonically corrupted. Probably best of all is 'FBD X CERT', almost a moody grime exercise until a four to the floor rides roughshod through such conventional plans. Raw, racy - and utterly essential.
Review: During the early-to-mid 1990s, Nurmad Jusat released a string of now sought-after singles on Likemind that showcased an emotive, far-sighted take on techno that still sounds timeless all these years on. This fine collection features various recordings he made - but never released - as Nuron and Fuge back in 1993 and '94. As inspired by the techno sounds of his native UK as the far-sighted brilliance of purist Detroit techno and the dreamy soundscapes of Larry Heard, it's a genuinely brilliant collection of long-lost gems. Our picks include the subtly clonk-influenced opener 'The Coded Message', the skewed deep electro shuffle of 'Another Way', the sci-fi techno brilliance of 'Contrapoin (First Version)' and the out-there ambient soundscape that is 'Dialectic Confusion'.
Review: Wolfgang Voigt's Studio 1 and Freiland are landmark examples of 1990s minimalist concept techno. Studio 1 defined a stripped-down, hypnotic approach, while Freiland explored a more experimental, textured sound. This release features two discs with each of those differing approaches served up, but the second compiles the best of Freiland into a continuous set. Both showcase Voigt's pioneering vision and knack for marrying great precision with an absorbing atmosphere in a way that remains influential today. Essential listening for techno-purists and fans of the avant-garde.
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